Essential Home Safety Tips for Baby

As your baby grows, you will soon find that you spend the majority of your day preventing him from injuring himself. Most parents are savvy enough to get the basics of baby and child proofing, but here we will provide you with a detailed list of tips to increase safety in the home.

Home Safety: Kitchen Nightmares

Of all rooms in the house, the kitchen is perhaps the most dangerous one for babies and young children. Here are the best ways to keep it safe:

Always opt for the back burners of the stove, when possible.

Always make sure all handles are turned inwards.
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Make sure coffee makers, toasters, and other appliances are kept away from the counter's edge.

Tablecloths and runners can be pulled down and bring heavy objects crashing onto your child. Consider skipping them for a few years.

Pay particular attention to where you store your cleaning chemicals and solutions. In addition to fitting a child proof lock on that cupboard, think about moving everything to a cupboard high up in the kitchen.

Home Safety: The Bathroom

As with the kitchen, keep cleaning products locked away at all times. If your bathroom offers storage high up, take advantage of it.

Most of us store medicines in our bathroom, and these can be deadly to babies and children. Again, store them as high as possible, and always keep them locked up.

Lower the temperature of your hot water heater.

Install a toilet lock. Babies who are just learning to walk are unsteady and very top heavy. They can easily topple in and drown. Attaching a toilet lock also stops your child from playing with the water.

Absolutely never leave your baby alone in a tub of water, not even for a second. The phone can wait, and no one ringing your doorbell is as important as your baby. Even with anti-slip mats, a baby or young child can slip and drown in a matter of seconds, and in just a few inches of water.

Baby Safety in the Rest of the House

Have a gate at both the top and bottom of all sets of stairs

Cover all unused sockets.

If there is any non safety glass in your home, cover it with protective film.

Remove or reroute any cables to prevent strangulation

Install locks on all windows.

Attach non-slip padding to any rugs that move.

As with the kitchen, attach locks on all cupboards and doors that you don't want your child to access.

All fireplaces should be fitted with a fireguard, but even fireguards can get hot and cause minor burns. Never leave a mobile child unsupervised with a lit fire.

You should also install smoke detectors in every room other than the kitchen. Service them regularly.

Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. A detector is easy and cheap to install, and could save your family.

Have a fire extinguisher on hand for emergencies.

It's wise to have a well-stocked first-aid kit in the home.

Don't forget to ensure baby safety any other house your baby or child spends a lot of time at, such as at grandparents' homes.